TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD

Passage: Genesis 18:16-21

Key verse: 19

NIV

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

16 When the men(A) got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham(B) what I am about to do?(C) 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,(D) and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[a] 19 For I have chosen him(E), so that he will direct his children(F) and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord(G) by doing what is right and just,(H) so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”(I)

20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom(J) and Gomorrah is so great(K) and their sin so grievous(L) 21 that I will go down(M) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 18:18 Or will use his name in blessings (see 48:20)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, (A)“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be (B)blessed in him? 19 For I have (C)chosen[a] him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because (D)the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 (E)I will go down to see whether they have done altogether[b] according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, (F)I will know.”

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Footnotes
  1. Genesis 18:19 Hebrew known
  2. Genesis 18:21 Or they deserve destruction; Hebrew they have made a complete end
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Shall I hide my plan from Abraham? (16-19)

God chose Abraham to make him a great nation. He had promised to bless him, and through him, to bless all nations on earth. In order to claim God's blessings, Abraham's descendants must know God; they must keep his ways by doing what is right and just. So God taught Abraham that God hates sin; he is a God of judgment as well as a God of blessing. Abraham's personal relationship with God deepened. He was called a friend of God (Isa 41:8; Jn 15:15).

2. The outcry against Sodom is great (2

-21)

Sodom and Gomorrah were known to be very wicked cities. When the Lord said that he would check out Sodom to see if it was as bad as he had heard, Abraham knew what the result would be. Sodom well deserved God's wrath and punishment. Abraham had an interest in Sodom because Lot lived there. God wanted Abraham to know how much God hates wickedness, and he wants Abraham's descendants--including us--to know that God is a Righteous Judge as well as a loving Father.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to keep your ways and do what is right and just.

One Word: Keep the way of the Lord